ID theft workshop educates people on avoiding crime. (Business Front)

Business Record (Des Moines), June, 2002 by Michael Swanger

These days, if muggers steal your wallet or purse they may be after more than just your cash and credit cards. They could be looking to steal your identity.

The Federal Trade Commission says identity theft has become the fastest growing white-collar crime in the United States. Last year, more than one million Americans were victimized and from 1998 to July 2001, fraudulent Social Security number allegations increased five-fold.

The problem has become so commonplace that some insurance companies are beginning to offer identity theft fraud expense coverage for as little as $25 a year for a $15,000 policy. Such coverage could help offset the expense of recovering from the crime, which experts estimate costs victims $15,000 to $18,000. The recovery process is...